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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. chest — a box
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. face — part of the head
  5. chest — of your body
  6. face — to confront
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. tear — from crying
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bark — to shout
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bound — tied together
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bound — obliged
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. tear — to rip
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. face — to point toward
  23. chest — of your body
  24. leaves — lets stay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com